


The Seasons Change, But You Don't

by Waffle-o (XylB)



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Kings AU, M/M, Secret Santa, minecraft au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-09-15 03:46:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16925880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XylB/pseuds/Waffle-o
Summary: Mentally, Jeremy runs through a list of everything he knows about King Gavin – eastern kingdom, in the mountains, main exports: ores, metals, weapon heads, decorations, jewellery, furnaces, coal, lots of coal, redstone – Jeremy remembers that well, it’s one of his main imports for his potions, his main export. Close friends with King Geoff and King Michael, colours of his kingdom are green, skilled archer, useful strategist.Absolutelynoneof that told Jeremy how charming his smile is.





	The Seasons Change, But You Don't

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fakeahcrevv](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fakeahcrevv/gifts).



> My Secret Santa gift for fakeahcrevv! Hope you enjoy <3!

The first time Jeremy meets Gavin is under starlight – well, almost starlight. Starlight trapped in lanterns hanging from the blossoming trees arched over their heads in a pleasant tunnel, the blooms soft pink and feather-white like the rest of King Geoff’s kingdom.

Jeremy doesn’t even recognise him as a fellow royal at first – in fact, he bumps into him in the most undignified way possible, tripped over a divot in the ground while distracted by the flowers, and completely collides into him.

“Oh, sorry, sorry,” Jeremy says, stumbling back and reaching out to steady the other man.

“It’s okay,” the man says, turning to look at him. He’s adorned with green accents – a green sash around his waist, and a dainty makeshift flower threaded into his tunic over his heart, made of small, green tendrils twisted together. The lack of armour makes Jeremy think he’s a citizen, but the trappings remind him of court.

“Whose court are you?” Jeremy asks, momentarily forgetting he himself is a king. The man laughs, a delighted, _bright_ sound, brighter than the starlight above them.

“I’m Gavin,” Gavin says, sticking a hand out to shake – Jeremy _feels_ the blood drain from his cheeks, stumbling over his words as he grasps Gavin’s hand.

“I – oh I’m so sorry, I didn’t realise – I haven’t met – sorry – ”

“It’s okay,” Gavin laughs, shaking his head. “Jeremy, right?”

“Yeah,” Jeremy says.

“Geoff told me about you,” Gavin says, leaning against the side of the tunnel. “Haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you yet.”

“And neither I – I neither for you,” Jeremy manages – Gavin giggles again, running a hand through his hair.

“I think we can give up the formality now,” Gavin stage-whispers. “Not like we’re in a court of politics or anythin’.”

Mentally, Jeremy runs through a list of everything he knows about King Gavin – eastern kingdom, in the mountains, main exports: ores, metals, weapon heads, decorations, jewellery, furnaces, coal, lots of coal, redstone – Jeremy remembers that well, it’s one of his main imports for his potions, his main export. Close friends with King Geoff and King Michael, colours of his kingdom are green, skilled archer, useful strategist.

Absolutely none of that told Jeremy how charming his smile is.

Although Jeremy _does_ know that King Gavin is currently a lone monarch, no king or queen by his side.

“Surprised to see you without guards,” Jeremy comments instead.

“I’m more likely to get tricked by Geoff than by an enemy here,” Gavin says, waving a hand dismissively. “What about yours?”

“Sent them off to party,” Jeremy says with a shrug. “But at least I’m still wearing my armour.”

“It’s heavy,” Gavin replies easily. “Couldn’t be bothered to keep it on while I’m supposed to be _enjoying_ myself.”

“You’re very trusting.”

“That I am, Jeremy. Tell me, do you think those are northern stars or eastern stars in those lanterns?”

“Northern or eastern stars? There’s a difference?”

“Yeah! You can tell by the way they gather.” Gavin leans in and points up to one. “See, those ones are all kind of on that side there. That’s east. So they must be eastern.”

Jeremy, baffled, peers up at Gavin.

“What?”

Gavin laughs again, and gestures up at the lanterns.

“When you capture stars,” he says. “They try to go back to their brothers. Or sisters. Or whatever.”

“That’s…...actually pretty cool,” Jeremy murmurs, looking at the starlight. “I didn’t know that.”

“Ryan told me,” Gavin deadpans. “He’s smart, but don’t tell him that.”

Jeremy raises an eyebrow.

“Don’t need to inflate his ego any more?” He jokes.

“Well, all bloody – fancy underwater Poseidon place he’s got, he knows he’s smart. Quite impressive, actually, but best to leave that sort of thing unsaid.” Gavin giggles at the end, pushing off of the tunnel wall to straighten again.

“Anyhow,” he continues, looking up and down the tunnel. It’s mostly wandering couples and families, marvelling at the starlight and blossoms, meandering slowly with drinks and laughter.

“Don’t suppose you want to go for a walk?” Gavin asks, nodding down the path. “Heard there’s a surprise at the end.”

“There’s an end?” Jeremy asks, peering around Gavin.

“Well, there’s got to be _somewhere_ , hasn’t there?”

“S’ppose so.”

“So? You wanna find it or not? Chance for us to get to know each other.”

Jeremy gives Gavin an incredulous look – and when he realises he’s _serious_ , if playful, exhales with a laugh and shrugs, gesturing for Gavin to lead the way.

“Sure,” he says. Gavin bounces gleefully on his feet and starts walking.

“So, Jeremy, why purple?”

“Purple?”

“Y’r royal colour. Why purple?”

“Why green?”

“Hey, I asked you first!”

“Well, I asked you second.”

\-- 

The second time Jeremy runs into Gavin is in daylight and under a much less – he hesitates to say _romantic_ , because soft starlight and softer blooms is certainly _romantic_ , and Jeremy would love for that night to be _romantic_ , but he has no idea if Gavin remembers the Equinox festival with the same rose-tinged edges that Jeremy does. Although ever since that night, they have been in constant contact, writing letters to and from while they were wrapped up in the work of their own kingdoms.

And as thrilling as Gavin is on paper, Jeremy has missed the pitch and jump of his voice, the almost _intimate_ closeness they shared when Gavin leaned in to murmur humorous nonsense to him under dazzling starlight.

That being said, the next time Jeremy sees him, Gavin is certainly a sight – an ink-splattered, untidy, glorious sight, pouches and quivers strapped to his hips and back, a tattered sheath by his side and an enchanted bow in his hands, shaking with laughter.

“Hey! See you finally caught up!” King Michael calls, leaning against a tree to catch his breath. Jeremy folds up his enchanted map and tucks it into his belt before striding over with King Jack, both of them bemused at the two other kings.

“Took you long enough,” Gavin teases, running an inky hand through his hair.

“Did you run into a squid or into Ryan?” Jack asks with a grin.

“Squid,” Gavin pants. “Flopped up on land, squirted me.”

“Yeah, it was _great_ ,” Michael agrees. “Should’ve seen him, all squawkin’ and shit.”

“Hey, I was not _squawkin’_.”

“Oh, you _absolutely_ were.”

“I thought you’d have a hunting party, at least,” Jeremy interrupts, glancing around at the forest.

“Nah, it’s just leftover mobs,” Michael says. “Bit of fun.”

“You joining?” Gavin asks, looking them up and down.

“’Course they are,” Michael says with a smile. “You’re Jeremy, right? Heard a lot about you. Mostly from this idiot.” He jerks a thumb at Gavin.

“Michael,” Jeremy says, shaking his hand. “Nice to finally meet you.”

Michael laughs, clapping him on the shoulder.

“Still with the formalities, huh? What’s Jack been tellin’ you?”

“Hey, I haven’t told him shit,” Jack protests, holding his hands up. “He’s just polite.”

Gavin snorts at that but falls in with the teasing as they start walking again – and not-so-discreetly moves over to walk beside Jeremy, but neither of the other two say anything.

\-- 

When they return from their impromptu hunting trip, they find Michael’s and Lindsay’s kingdom in full swing of the summer festival. It’s gorgeous, to walk down the streets and see all the stalls, the smoky smell of meat – Michael’s _main_ export – drifting down the road, enticing them all in further.

Michael excuses himself to go change, and Jack leaves with him to do the same. Gavin, however, makes no move to even look bothered about the ink stained on him, instead triumphantly steering Jeremy into the heart of the marketplace to look around.

“Gavin? Aren’t we going to go change?” He asks, but Gavin shakes his head, tugging Jeremy into the crowd with a smile.

“I have something I want to show you first,” he says, almost buzzing with excitement, and it takes all Jeremy has to not stop and simply admire the way Gavin’s eyes sparkle in the sunlight.

“In the kingdom?” He asks instead.

“Yeah!” Gavin says. Without hesitation, he grasps Jeremy’s forearm to start leading him around the stalls, his touch firm and sure and making Jeremy’s heart squeeze in his chest.

And Jeremy can’t say he doesn’t enjoy it, following Gavin around the stalls like a tourist – Gavin is clearly familiar with the layout, pointing out all sorts of fascinating tidbits to Jeremy along the way. Along with the meat, Michael’s and Lindsay’s kingdom specialises in animal byproducts, but somewhere between all the hide and bone and tallow and horn, Gavin locatesa square – a square Jeremy would have missed, the kingdom so crowded with stalls. But the square is deliberately clear of stalls, with a faded mosaic set into the ground around a stunning fountain in the centre, clean water gushing down its stone shelves. At the top is Michael’s and Lindsay’s crest.

“Why’d you bring me to a fountain?” Jeremy asks, looking up at the glittering arcs of water.

“Well, it’s pretty,” Gavin says, leading them closer. “And I wanted to give you something.”

“And you couldn’t do it in the castle?” Jeremy asks, curious nonetheless. Gavin’s hands falter where he’s fiddling with a pouch, and he coughs out a laugh.

“Aw, what, in a stuffy ol’ castle? Anyway, it looks better in the sunlight,” Gavin replies cryptically, and glances up at him. “Close your eyes.”

“ _Gavin_.”

“Close ‘em.”

Jeremy obeys, although not without a snort of laughter. Gavin’s hands land over his heart, tugging slightly at the fabric as he works. It’s only a few seconds before Gavin’s hands withdraw, and he triumphantly tells Jeremy to open his eyes.

“What have you – ” the words fall away when Jeremy sees what’s now attached over his left breast, right where a flower would go in his royal garment.

It’s a brooch. A silver, rectangular brooch, with a deep purple oval gem set in the middle – and when Jeremy tugs the fabric away from his chest to examine it, he realises his kingdom crest is carved around the gem, with runes inscribed around the edges.

“It’s a protection spell,” Gavin says. “I think. I used Geoff’s books for it.”

“It’s – It’s correct,” Jeremy breathes, looking back up at Gavin. “It’s beautiful, Gavin.”

“You like it?”

“Gav,I  _love_ it,” Jeremy says, gently brushing his thumb over the stone. “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me,” Gavin says, although he’s _beaming_ at the reply, bouncing on his feet again in that oddly endearing way of his, close enough that Jeremy can almost feel the shake.

In a sudden rush, Jeremy gets the urge to kiss him, but instead he settles for pull him in for a one-armed hug – Gavin stiffens, surprised, then laughs into Jeremy’s shoulder and hugs him back, holding him a beat longer than necessary before they separate.

“I don’t – I don’t have anything for you,” Jeremy says, glancing down at the brooch again.

“You weren’t supposed to,” Gavin says, grinning.

“Let me at least buy you an ale,” Jeremy insists – Gavin shrugs and nods, and Jeremy starts glancing around for an ale stall, courtesy of Jack’s kingdom, but he can see no golden flags from his position.

“Uh, where’s the nearest ale stall?” He asks.

“Over here,” Gavin says, taking him by the arm again to whisk them once more into the crowd.

\-- 

“Do we have any Nether wart?” Jeremy asks, running a hand over his head.

“Nether wart? Yeah, plenty – Jeremy, what are you _doing_?” Matt asks, closing the door behind him. “How long have you been up?”

“Uh, what time is it?” Jeremy asks, flinging a chest open.

“It’s six in the goddamn morning.”

“All night.”

“ _All night_? No, all right, mister, we’re getting you back to bed,” Matt says, but Jeremy shakes off his grasp, uncorking the Nether wart bottle and carefully tipping some of the powdered wart into the bubbling cauldron.

“I’m almost done,” Jeremy promises, corking the bottle and setting it aside. “Can you help me with the last bit?”

“What...is the last bit?” Matt asks, stepping back to give Jeremy room in the workshop.

“Dipping this in that,” Jeremy replies, heaving up a diamond pickaxe from under a table. Matt glances between him and the cauldron, eyebrows in his hairline.

“What is _that_?” He asks, gesturing to the cauldron.

“Fire-resistant potion,” Jeremy replies, tugging his collar away from his throat. “It’s safe to touch, it’s not permanent on skin.”

“But on – ?” Matt points at the axe.

“Pretty permanent,” Jeremy answers, offering half of the head to Matt so they can dip the handle into the cauldron first. “Used phantom membrane in it.”

“Je _sus_ ,” Matt sighs, but helps him nonetheless.

He’s silent for about two seconds.

“So why do you need a fire-resistant axe?”

“Uh.”

“Jeremy?”

“It’s for King Gavin,” Jeremy says quietly, working with Matt to spin the axe around and dip the head with minimal splashing. “He does a lot of mining.”

Matt raises an eyebrow. Jeremy doesn’t like how smug it is.

“Shut up,” Jeremy says.

“Lot of work to go through for one guy,” Matt comments instead of staying silent. Jeremy bites his lip and rests the axe on the floor.

“He made me a protection brooch,” Jeremy says, shrugging. “It’s just returning the favour.”

“And all the letters? Are those _favours_ as well?” Matt teases.

“Screw you.”

“Hey, I’m happy for you, man.”

Jeremy pauses for a moment, glancing nervously up at his friend.

“You are?” He asks.

“Yeah,” Matt says, softer. He claps a hand on Jeremy’s shoulder. “Of course I am, J.”

“Do you think he’ll like it?”

“Oh, he’ll _love_ it.”

\-- 

“ _Jeremy_! I _love_ it!” Gavin squeals, hefting the pickaxe up with a delight more akin to a small child than a successful king.

“Really?” Jeremy asks, relief blooming in his chest at the elated grin on Gavin’s face, tinted orange in the sunset.

“It’s  _amazing_ ,” Gavin says, brushing his fingers down the glistening handle. “I can’t believe you made this for me.”

“Of course, buddy,” Jeremy laughs, reaching out to touch the axe as well. “It’s a thank-you for the brooch.”

Their fingers brush together at the head, and both of them hesitate – twitch – and Gavin moves his hand back down the handle again, leaving Jeremy’s skin tingling with the touch.

“Guess I’d better not lose this, then?” Gavin jokes, slipping the axe into the loop on his belt.

“I can always make another,” Jeremy replies.

“Are you guys coming to dinner?!” Geoff yells from the courtyard.

“Yeah, be right there!” Gavin calls back, but he makes no move to leave just yet. Neither does Jeremy. Gavin steps closer and Jeremy’s heartbeat matches tempo with the waves lapping at the docks a little ways away from them.

Autumn is beautiful the whole country over, but it’s particularly stunning in Jack’s kingdom, when his crops are ripe for harvest and a soft blanket of leaves coats the ground, crunching gently under townspeople’s footsteps. And Jeremy knows once they leave for the banquet, there won’t be another chance for time alone like this, for Jack always hosts a _grand_ Harvest Festival, full to the brim with ale and entertainment the whole night long.

And right next by, just down the steps from the docks, is Ryan’s underwater kingdom, where the festivities may spill over – because their kingdoms border, they don’t officially co-host festivals, but it’s not uncommon for the two kingdoms to merge a little in the planning phases.

All Jeremy really knows, right know, is that this is the most peaceful part of the festival, stood with Gavin in a private bubble just by the docks.

“I missed you,” Gavin says with a lopsided smile. Jeremy _ache_ s to touch him, to take his hand, his waist, to just _touch_. But he stops himself.

“I missed you too,” he says, reaching up to idly finger the brooch.

“Are you coming or _what_?!” Geoff yells again, not unkindly, and they both laugh at it.

“All  _right_!” Gavin calls again.

“Guess we should get going,” Jeremy says, turning to leave – Gavin catches him by the arm and Jeremy spins around – and freezes, suddenly almost nose-to-nose with Gavin.

“After dinner,” Gavin says in a whisper. “You wanna go check out the electric eels with me?”

“The electric eels?”

“Yeah, down in Ryan’s kingdom.”

“I – sure, why not?”

“It’s a plan,” Gavin giggles, and lets him go for dinner.

\-- 

This year, it’s Jeremy’s turn to host the Solstice festival. As custom, he sets up a marketplace to sell his kingdom’s wares and novelties – potions and spell sheets and other various little magics, from amusing to enchanting. And with his spare few stalls, he asks Geoff to fill in with some of the wool products from his kingdom, especially with the colder weather setting in.

By the morning of Solstice, Jeremy’s kingdom is awash in purple flags and white flowers – save for the cluster of Geoff’s orange flags at the end of one road – and, most notably, _snow_. There’s not much yet, just scant snowflakes and tricky layers of ice, but that’s what the iron golems are for, to sprinkle potion up and down the roads and walkways to dissolve the danger.

By the evening, all the kingdoms have arrived – except for Gavin’s. The kings and their guards take up residence in Jeremy’s castle, and their kingdoms in the various hotels and inns sprawled around Jeremy’s border. Because of the cold, Jeremy’s festivities are either in tents or buildings, with plenty of torches and potions to keep everyone warm.

“You okay?” Ryan asks, nudging Jeremy with his elbow.

“What? Uh, yeah, just – just worried that Gavin hasn’t shown up yet,” he says, trying to distract himself with the magic firework display.

“He’s probably just late,” Ryan says, adjusting the blue flower on his tunic. Jeremy nods and looks out over the balcony again.

A few moments pass. Ryan sighs and gets up from his chair, walking over to stand beside Jeremy. Below, Jeremy can see the other kings wandering around the marketplace. Ryan brushes snow off the balcony and leans his elbows on it.

“I saw the pickaxe you made for him,” Ryan says.

“I just made the potion,” Jeremy says. Ryan shakes his head.

“I saw the fitting,” he says. “Industry doesn’t attach the head like that.”

“All right, you got me,” Jeremy says, his lips twitching up in a smile. “So what?”

“It’s sweet.”

“He’s a friend.”

Ryan snorts, scratching his beard.

“Shouldn’t you be down there with the others,” Jeremy asks, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m more concerned with why the host isn’t,” Ryan replies evenly. Jeremy doesn’t reply for a long moment.

“I wanted him to come,” Jeremy admits. “See if he – likes it.”

“The kingdom?”

“Yeah.”

“Or the king?”

Jeremy swallows thickly. Doesn’t answer. He doesn’t know why he’s getting so bent out of shape over this – it’s just a festival, Gavin probably just got stuck in snow. They’ve been writing back and forth as usual, and Jeremy’s been aching to see him since Harvest, but nothing’s happened between them. Not that Jeremy knows of.

“Jeremy,” Ryan says, gently nudging him. “I promise you, he’s fascinated by your kingdom. Doesn’t damn shut up about it, sometimes. He loves magic.”

Jeremy taps the balcony.

“And the king?” He asks quietly. Ryan nods.

“Doesn’t damn shut up about him.”

\-- 

Gavin arrives late, but smiling, waiting at the door of the castle when Jeremy’s called away to greet him.

“Gavin,” Jeremy says, blinking in surprise. Gavin grins, shaking the snow from his hair.

“Jeremy,” he says, opening his arms out. “Do I look okay?”

Jeremy’s breath hitches as he looks Gavin up and down – he’s in a formal outfit, a simple button-down with a smart jacket on top, the seams shimmering green and gold. He reaches forward and plucks Jeremy’s purple flower from where it sits beside his brooch, and threads it through the flower hole on his jacket, beaming as he pats it in place.

“A little birdy told me there was dancing,” Gavin says.

“You dance?”

“Absolutely not, but figured I better look the part.”

A laugh bursts out of Jeremy, equal parts amused and relieved, and he gestures Gavin in from the cold.

“It’s good to see you,” he says, and to his surprise, Gavin loops an arm around his shoulders to hug him.

“It’s  _great_ to see you, Jeremy,” he says, grinning. “I like what you’ve done with the place.”

\-- 

The dancing continues late into the night, Jeremy’s grand ballroom alight with lively music and livelier dancers, the sound echoing through the castle even as he wanders away with Gavin for a quiet walk around, drinks in both their hands.

And despite all the letters, it’s unbelievably nice to _talk_ to Gavin again, conversation flowing as easily as the ale in Jack’s kingdom and the accidental brushes of their hands sending thrills up Jeremy’s arm. Snow piles up on the window sills outside, on the roofs of the kingdom, and Jeremy hardly even notices it, far too enamoured with the sparkle in Gavin’s eyes when he talks.

They end up on an indoor walkway towards the back of the castle, leaning on the railing and watching the snow fall outside the window, which spans from high ceiling to the empty floor a flight of stairs below them.

“So, why were you late?” Jeremy teases, glancing up at Gavin. “Too much snow?”

“Actually,” Gavin laughs, reaching behind himself. “I was making this.” He brings around a small, neatly wrapped package, setting it on the flat railing. On the top, in a scrawl, it reads _To: Jeremy_.

“Gavin,” Jeremy whispers, picking it up.

“Isn’t it custom to gift the host something?” Gavin jokes. It’s not.

“Gav, you really didn’t have to,” Jeremy says, charmed nonetheless by Gavin’s fond gifts.

The shimmery paper tears apart to reveal a box, and when Jeremy lifts the lid, he gasps softly. It’s a ceramic flower, with a silver stem and silver edges, and the petals are a deep, rich purple that match the flower tucked into Gavin’s jacket.

“Gavin, this is...this is – holy shit,” Jeremy breathes, gently picking it up.

“It’s actually, uh,” Gavin coughs and plucks something else from his pocket – another ceramic flower, this one with gold instead of silver and green instead of purple. “It’s actually a match to this one.”

Jeremy, speechless, thinks back to Ryan’s words on the balcony, and looks at the nervous shake in Gavin’s fingers, and, he thinks, Gavin can’t get any more obvious.

But Jeremy can.

“If – If it’s not...appropriate, it’s okay, I can – I won’t be offended – ” Gavin starts, and Jeremy realises he’s left his answer too long, and scrambles to recover.

“No! No, no, I – I love it,” Jeremy replies.

And then, trembling slightly, he reaches for Gavin’s green flower, and gives Gavin the purple one. Gavin doesn’t miss the meaning.

“Oh,” he breathes, softly. “Jeremy – ”

Jeremy just shuffles closer in response, tentatively laying his other hand over Gavin’s free hand on the railing. Gavin’s fingers twitch and they both turn their heads – and bump their noses, both recoiling with a laugh before they lean in again, gently, _easily_ closing the gap.

“Jeremy,” Gavin whispers when they pull apart, but they’re not apart for long.

“Can I – again?” Jeremy asks, just as quiet, and Gavin responds witha kissas slow and soft as the falling snow outside.


End file.
